JOHN DOOLITTLE-- IS HE BASICALLY MORE OF A CROOK OR A CRIMINAL... OR BOTH?

OK, we know John Doolittle is one of the most corrupt politicians in Washington. But has he also lost his mind along with his moral bearings? This past weekend, while I was fighting for my life off St Simons Island, Georgia in the midst of the East Coast's biggest tiger shark breeding ground, the Auburn Journal had commissioned dueling columns on ethics from Doolittle and Charlie Brown. Charlie had a thoughtful and compelling vision that seamlessly ties the ethical failings of our political class into Iraq and other maladies that trouble us in our lives.

Growing up working on farms in Iowa, and throughout my 26-year military career, I learned that leaders are defined by what we do and how we do it. We are honor bound to set an example for others, advance the priorities of those who depend on us, and to understand that partisan rhetoric is no substitute for sound judgment and real results.

The recent scandals plaguing Washington have shown an appalling lack of leadership at a time we need it the most. The FBI raids on the homes and businesses of members of Congress, the Walter Reed fiasco, and many others transcend ideological differences between right and left. We're talking about right and wrong.

Doolittle's whiney, defensive, self-serving bit of classic misdirection, on the other hand, seems to be making a case for a future insanity plea. He and his bevy of high-priced attorneys and p.r. flacks decided to use the Auburn Journal to appeal to future jurors in his ongoing criminal cases against him and his wife. Irrationally he is now claiming that the raid on his house by the feds a few weeks ago was an attempt by the Bush Regime to distract people from Gonzales' troubles. "I do not believe it was a coincidence that the leak came the day before Attorney General Gonzales testified before Congress on charges that his office was overly partisan in its firing of eight U.S. attorneys, especially considering Gonzales specifically cited his recent prosecution of Republican members of Congress as evidence to the contrary," wrote Doolittle. He sounds paranoid and ready to take down other Republicans with him. Calling the search of his home "unnecessary," his column sounds like he is warning Bush to pardon him and his wife... or else. "The search occurred after my attorney had a meeting with the government, and I now believe that the search of our home was in large measure an attempt to strong arm my wife in order to get me to admit to a crime-- a crime that I did not commit. During the search, Julie was sequestered in the kitchen and not allowed to move without an escort. She was not even allowed to use the bathroom in our own home without an FBI agent escorting her there. Then, the agents systematically searched our home, removing every book, turning over every couch cushion and every pot and pan, and rummaging through every drawer, file cabinet, cupboard and closet." Apparently he feels he and Julie are entitled to different treatment than other saccused of serious crimes get. And that feeling of entitlement very neatly sums up the rapidly ending public career of John Doolittle.

Anyway, please do read the two columns. Then decide which man you would like see making decisions in Washington that effect not just the residents of northern California, but each and every one of us. I think you will make the same decision I made. If you do, consider making a $5 or $10 donation to Charlie's campaign fund. That's how men of integrity like Charlie will have a chance to get out a message when challenging a corporately-financed master of corruption like Doolittle. Believe me, $5.00 helps. Last year, in just 4 months, Blue America raised over half a million dollars to help take Congress for Democrats. The avergae donation was just over $30 and hundreds of donors gave $5 and $10 contributions. They add up -- even if a bit slower than all that money Doolittle and his moll skimmed off the top of everything that came through the doors and played Republican contributors for suckers.